Wedding Dances
by mrsgunsage
Summary: A look into the thoughts of two fathers as they dance at their daughters' weddings.


Charlie had thought this day would never come. In a way back, tiny, selfish part of his mind, he'd had a not-quite recognized hope that it never would. Not because he wanted her to be alone, but because now she wasn't his baby girl anymore. No longer his to protect, or console, or advise… she had _him_ for that now. He knew he'd never been an overly demonstrative man, but he hoped he'd been a good father. He knew she'd hung the moon in his universe, and he hoped she knew that too.

He'd made it through the ceremony with his usual calm demeanor relatively intact. He was hoping against hope his new son-in-law hadn't caught the slight the tremble in his hand as he lifted her veil, nor the waver in his voice as he gave his only daughter away.

He'd misted up only slightly when he watched her have her first dance with her new husband, and he was desperately trying to get it under control as the handsome man led his whole world back towards him for the customary father/daughter dance. He almost smiled when it became apparent the new man in his little girl's life didn't want to let her go, but he managed to keep his face serene.

"I'll get her back to you in one piece, kid. Go dance with your mom."

He wasn't a particularly good dancer, but that was fine since it was only one song and it gave him an excuse to hold her like he hadn't held her since she'd been very young just one more time. He'd just be hugging her in time to music, he reasoned with himself. He gathered her close, and sighed as she tucked her head against his shoulder, just as she had all those years ago when a small girl had needed comforting…

_Look at the two of you dancing that way  
Lost in the moment and each other's face  
So much in love you're alone in this place Like there's nobody else in the world_

He chuckled to himself. They had been absolutely lost in each other. When the song had ended, they were still staring into each others' eyes and swaying to music only they could hear. After a couple of minutes, Jasper had started ragging on what a sap his best friend had turned into since slapping on the leg iron, and the DJ had called to them several times over the microphone before they realized they were dancing to laughter instead of music.

_I was enough for her not long ago  
I was her number one  
She told me so  
And she still means the world to me  
Just so you know  
So be careful when you hold my girl  
Time changes everything  
Life must go on  
And I'm not gonna stand in your way_

He remembered his 10 year old daughter telling him she'd never be getting married, because no boy would ever be as good as her daddy. He remembered all the nights she had watched baseball with him, just so they could spend time together. She hated baseball, but when he'd tell her she didn't have to watch she shushed him, "Silly Daddy, I like watching you watch baseball because you're happy."

_But I loved her first and I held her first  
And a place in my heart will always be hers  
From the first breath she breathed  
When she first smiled at me  
I knew the love of a father runs deep  
And I prayed that she'd find you someday  
But it's still hard to give her away  
I loved her first_

The day she was born. The day she called him dada, and he'd seen in her eyes that she knew what it meant. The day he'd become both mother and father when a drunk driver took his wife, and almost his daughter from him. The first day of school, the last day of school… and all of the days in between. So many memories of the million and one ways his daughter had blessed his life.

_How could that beautiful woman with you  
Be the same freckle faced kid that I knew  
The one that I read all those fairy tales to  
And tucked into bed all those nights  
And I knew the first time I saw you with her  
It was only a matter of time_

She was beautiful. Not in a bold or flashy way like her friend Rose. Not in a cute or perky way like her friend Alice. No, she was quietly beautiful. She'd gone from ragged tomboy, to awkward adolescent, to elegant young lady in what seemed like 10 minutes to a father's paranoid eye. Fortunately for his sanity she hadn't responded to the attention all of the boys had tried to heap on her.

Strangely enough though, he did remember the night she'd met the boy who became the man who held her heart. They'd been at a school function and in typical fashion she'd tripped over her own feet, right into the arms of the new Doctor's son. As he watched the boy catch her, he saw something come alive in both of their eyes. It was both awful and wonderful at the same time, because the boy was looking at his baby the way he'd always looked at his beloved wife… and she was looking right back at him.

As fond as he'd become of the kid over the years, he hadn't really shown it. He was still the father of a pretty teenaged girl, and all boys were the mortal enemy.

_But I loved her first and I held her first  
And a place in my heart will always be hers  
From the first breath she breathed  
When she first smiled at me  
I knew the love of a father runs deep  
And I prayed that she'd find you someday  
But it's still hard to give her away  
I loved her first_

_From the first breath she breathed  
When she first smiled at me  
I knew the love of a father runs deep  
Someday you might know what I'm going through  
When a miracle smiles up at you  
I loved her first_

His son-in-law was at his elbow before the final notes had even played. This was disconcerting to Charlie because he'd thought he would have a second to re-compose himself before he had to face the younger man. He saw the surprise at the tears he hadn't been able to fully contain. He looked at this man who was now responsible for keeping his Bella safe and said, "One of these days, Edward you will understand."

Walking down that aisle with his daughter's arm on his elbow almost felt like facing the firing squad to Edward. Seeing the tall man waiting at the other end was torture. He wasn't ready to let his baby go, but he didn't really have a choice.

His step faltered noticeably as they passed the last pew, and three sets of identical warm brown eyes flashed to his face. One supportive, one amused, and one confused. He smiled at his wife and father-in-law before winking at his daughter and taking the last few steps to the altar.

He hoped the younger man behind him didn't see the tremble in his hand as he raised his daughter's veil, and couldn't hear the waver in his voice as he gave his baby into another's keeping. Her smile was breathtaking before he leaned down to kiss her forehead, and her thumb came up to brush away the tear he wasn't able to contain.

He turned to take his seat next to his wife after placing his baby's tiny hand into the huge paw of his new son-in-law, and saw Charlie quirk a brow at his moist eyes. He grinned at the older man a little shamefaced, but then he'd never had Charlie's uncanny ability to remain stoic no matter what.

Watching his daughter have her first dance with her husband caused a choking sensation. She was so tiny. Even next to her petite mother she looked delicate, and she had picked such a huge, hulking brute of a man. Her curls were piled atop her head adding at least another two inches to her small frame, and yet she was barely to the level of the flower pinned to his lapel.

Before he really registered what was happening, his daughter was being handed into his arms for their dance while his wife stepped in for their son-in-law's mother who had passed on years before. He gathered he close, her head tucking under his chin and her arms wrapping around his waist under the tux jacket he'd already unbuttoned. If not for her gown and his tux it would be as if she was giving him a hug like any other day.

_There's two things I know for sure  
She was sent here from heaven  
And she's daddy's little girl  
As I drop to my knees by her bed at night  
She talks to Jesus and I close my eyes  
And I thank God for all of the joy in my life  
Oh but most of all_

_For butterfly kisses after bedtime prayers  
Stickin' little white flowers all up in her hair  
Walk beside the pony daddy it's my first ride  
I know the cake looks funny daddy but I sure tried_

_Oh with all that I've done wrong  
I must have done something right  
To deserve a hug every mornin'  
And butterfly kisses at night_

She had been sent straight from Heaven. Every day of his wife's pregnancy he'd sang to her and talked to her. She'd completely owned him well before those sleepy brown eyes had looked up at him in the hospital, and he thanked God every day for the joy she brought to all those around her. Even his ever serious father-in-law couldn't help being carefree in his daughter's presence, she was like a natural upper to everybody around her.

_Sweet 16 today  
She's lookin' like her mama a little more every day  
One part woman the other part girl  
To perfume and make up from ribbons and curls  
Trying her wings out in a great big world  
But I remember_

_Butterfly kisses after bedtime prayer  
Stickin' little white flowers all up in her hair  
You know how much I love you daddy  
But if you don't mind  
I'm only gonna kiss you on the check this time_

_Oh with all that I've done wrong  
I must have done something right  
To deserve her love every mornin'  
And butterfly kisses at night_

He clearly remembered the night his whole world had arrested around him. Claire and Emily were sleeping over with his little princess, which wasn't out of the ordinary. Those three were thicker than thieves, and had been since kindergarten. Edward had come up to poke his head in and say goodnight to the girls when he heard the conversation was focused on boys… more specifically which boys they thought were _cute_. He always told his wife it was no coincidence that he'd found his first gray hair not even a week later.

He didn't have the clout of being police chief to scare boys into treating his daughter with respect. He really wished he'd taken Charlie up on the shooting lessons during his baby's teenaged years.

_All the precious time  
Like the wind the years go by  
Precious butterfly  
Spread your wings and fly_

Her life was like a kaleidoscope whirling through his mind. He remembered how she went through a phase where she wouldn't let anybody touch her hair except for him, and her pigtails were always crooked. He remembered crying like a sap after he dropped her off for her first day of school. He remembered the first date and the first heartbreak. He remembered graduation, and thinking nothing would be worse than sending her off for college. He'd been wrong. Even when she went to college she was still his baby girl… and now she wasn't.

_She'll change her name today  
She'll make a promise and I'll give her away  
Standing in the bride room just staring at her  
She asked me what I'm thinkin'  
And I said I'm not sure  
I just feel like I'm losin' my baby girl  
And she leaned over_

_Gave me butterfly kisses with her mama there  
Stickin' little white flowers all up in her hair  
Walk me down the aisle daddy  
It's just about time  
Does my wedding gown look pretty daddy?  
Daddy, don't cry_

_Oh with all that I've done wrong  
I must have done something right  
To deserve her love every mornin'  
And butterfly kisses at night_

He'd known within 10 minutes of meeting the guy his daughter had been going on about for months that the punk would be the one to finally take his baby away from him. Other than that one small fact, Edward thought the kid was a good guy… but he couldn't let him know that. Charlie had made him squirm for years before and after he'd married his wife, he could make this young punk squirm for a bit before admitting he trusted the guy with his daughter.

_I couldn't ask God for more than this_

_This is what love is  
I know I've got to let her go but I'll always remember  
Every hug in the mornin' and butterfly kisses_

The song was ending, and Edward wasn't ready to let his princess go. Unfortunately he saw his son-in-law place a kiss on his wife's forehead before leading her back over towards the spot where Edward was still dancing with Nessie. When they were halfway across the room, Charlie intercepted them and claimed his daughter for a dance. Edward thought back to his own wedding 25 years before and remembered what Charlie had said to him. He'd thought he understood those cryptic words the day Renesmee was born, but he was pretty sure that hadn't been the case. Charlie had been talking about this strangling feeling of loosing his baby to another man…

He felt his eyes misting over again, just as the young pup stopped next to his elbow. He saw the surprise in the pup's eyes at his show of emotion.

Edward looked over to where his father-in-law was dancing with his beloved Bella, and it could have been their own wedding so many years ago. He handed his heart over into the younger man's arms and said, "One of these days, Jacob you will understand."


End file.
